Hair-pin



(Model.)

LH. RUSSELL.

HAIR PIN;

NO. 356,263. Patented Jan. 18, 1887.

' other.

ilNrrnn STATES PArENr rrrcn.

JOHN H. RUSSELL, OF BOSTON, MASSAOHUSETTS.

HAlR-PIN.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,263, c'lated January 18,188'7.

Application filed February 24, 1885. Serial No. 156,844. (Model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may 007208772.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. RUssELL, of Boston, county of Snffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hair- Pins, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a hair-pin which will hold the hair of the user securely, and will be itself more securely retained in the hair than the hair-pins now comlnonly in use.

The hair-pin forming the subject of this invention consists of two prongs, each of which, about midway of its length, is curved toward and crosses the other, thus forming a closed loop at the upper end of the hair-pin, where the two prongs unite. The prongs below the crossed or intersecting point are curved out- Ward, so that when inserted in the hair they receive alarger portion of the hair between them than they would if parallel with one an- The two prongs normally are in contact or nearly in contact with one another at their point of intersection, but, owing to the elasticity of the Wire, will spring away from one another or yield to permit the hair to pass between them and into the closed loop that is formed at the upper end of the pin, or between the junotion and point of intersection of the prongs.

Fignre 1 is an elevaton of a hair-pin embodying this invention, and Fig. 2 a diagram showing the position the prongs assume in being inserted into the hair.

The pin is shown as made from a piece of wirebent around nearly one hundred and eighty degrees, as shown at a, forming two prongs, b o, each of which, near the middle of its length, is curved toward the other, as shown at d, so that the prongs cross orintersect one another, as shown at e, and beyond the point of intersection they are curved again, as shown at f, nearly to their former direction. The ends of the prongs are preferably flared or curved outward, as shown at g, so that they are more Wdely separated at their extreme ends than in the main portion of their length.

The position of the two prongs Z) c with relation to one another is thus reversed above and below the point of intersection at e, and the-two prongs rest in contact with one another, or nearly so, at the point e.

In using the pin it is first inserted in the hair up to the point of intersection, (marked `e,) when that portion above the point of intersection remainiug between the thumb and finger must be turned half round (either to the right or left, as the prongs happen to be crossed) to facilitate the passing of the prongs their whole length into the hair.

lt will be observed that the prongs by this turn are made more nearly parallel, as shown in Fig. 2, and that the points marked g, instead of fiaring away7 are made to converge to- Ward each other. By this means, in the second half of the passage of the pin into the hair, or that portion of the passage which takes place after the turn is made7 the ends of the prongs gradually converge until they meet, or nearly so, when the pin is completelyinserted.

The elasticity of the wire of which thepin is composed is sufficient to draw the two prongs toward and into contact with one another, or nearly so, after it is inserted in the hair, thus retaining a portion of the hair securelyheld in the closed loop above theintersection, and the remaining portion of the hair is securely held between the lower port-ion of the said prongs. The pin thus not only holds or fastensthehair that is engaged between its prongs throughout their entire length, but is itself securely retained in the hair, and is not likely to drop out or become detachedtherefrom until positively withdrawn by the user.

I do not claim a hair-pin in which either or both of the legs or prongs are curved spirally, so as to be screwed into the hair, as such construction is not new; but I'limit my invention to ahair-pin in which the legs are crossed angularly and are sprung apart in operation, as herein shown and dcscribcd.

I claim-- 1. As an improvcd article of manufacture, a hair-pin composed of a single piece of wire bent at or near its middle to form two prongs, that extend thence in curved planes and intersect at or near their middle, substantially as described.

2. A hair-pin composed of a single piece of Wire bent at its middle to form two prongs,

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which cross each other, and each of which exare crossed the opposite ends thereof shall be tends in two near] y similar curves from its curvcd toward and from each other, respectmiddle toward its point and toward its juncively, as and for the purpose speoified.

tion with the remaining pi'ong, respectively, In testimony whereof I have signed my name 15 5 substantiaily as desoribed. to this specification in the presence of two sub- 3. A hair-pin composed of a single piece of scribing witnesses.

Wire bent to form pl'ongs, each of which is bent ata point neai'its middle, and extends thence JOHN H' RUSSELL' toward its end and jnnction with the remain- Vitnesses: x0 ing pi'ong, respectively, in continuous simi- ALPHEUS SANFORD,

larly-curved planespvhereby whensaid prongs EDWI-N H. DYER.v 

